


It Started With a Dress

by AceTrainerAlicia



Series: The Adventures of Jaina: A Faith Renewed [1]
Category: Runescape
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-15
Updated: 2013-12-15
Packaged: 2018-05-07 14:01:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5459030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceTrainerAlicia/pseuds/AceTrainerAlicia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One small decision can change things... even something as simple as purchasing a new outfit can end up leading into a quest to free a trapped hero... and a path towards a long-forgotten god. Oneshot; takes place mostly during Desert Treasure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Started With a Dress

“One, two, three… five, six… Nope—we’re still missing one!”

The upper floor of the Legends’ Guild wasn’t usually this lively, but today was one of the three times a month when the guild members would meet for lunch—or sometimes just cakes and tea, like now—and catch up on what great things they might have been doing lately. Or rather, that’s what they would have been doing, if not for the fact that their little group was short one head—short one purple-haired head, to be exact.

“What could be keeping her?” Ariane wondered aloud, tracing a finger along the edge of the tablecloth. “I do hope she’s alright…”

“Maybe she was delayed by a pack of demons, and is bravely fighting her way through them now?” Ozan suggested. “Or she’s finding her way out of a deadly trap-filled dungeon, all kinds of monsters hot on her tail?”

Sir Owen rolled his eyes. “More likely, she would’ve been sidetracked by something mundane. Tending her plants perhaps or—hopefully—offering a quick prayer to Saradomin?”

Xenia snorted. “I would hope that she would be true to Guthix, like her parents.”

“She doesn’t really seem to have any particular allegiance,” Ariane said. “Perhaps she’ll retain a more neutral outlook towards the gods? That way she might not limit her potential quite as much…”

The sound of the guild doors downstairs slamming open silenced everyone before the discussion could escalate, and within seconds, the very girl the heroes had been speaking of rushed in, her bright purple pigtails bouncing behind her.

“Hi all! Sorry I’m late.”

Linza looked up from the rock she’d been scraping at with a small pick. “Hiya, Jaina. We were wondering when you’d show up.”

“Sorry about that…” Jaina smiled awkwardly, her face flushing a bit red, and then motioned to her outfit. “So how do you like my new dress?”

The heroes turned to study her, except for the Raptor, who hadn’t seemed to react to her arrival at all. She was wearing a silvery-blue, almost-white dress and matching overcoat, which, while pretty—and it certainly went well with the air staff on her back—was quite a bit different from the simple purple dress and cape they usually saw her in.

“It looks very nice!” Ariane said with a smile. “Where did you get it?”

“It does look lovely, but what kept you?” Sir Owen asked.

“Well, both of those questions are kind of related actually.” Jaina gave a nervous-yet-gracious nod to the Raptor, who had pulled up a chair for her when no one was looking, and took her seat. “See, I’ve made quite a fortune selling magical staves—well, had made one, anyway, but just last week when I was at the Grand Exchange…”

~***~

The next set of staves had just been exchanged, and Jaina was wondering what else she could possibly do now. She had a lot more unfinished staves and unpowered orbs on reserve, but she didn’t really want to run all the way back to the air obelisk again today—besides, she was getting really tired of making so many staves. Her fingers were sore, and her legs still ached from running to the obelisk and back so much. Besides, she had quite a bit of money now, more than enough to handle her needs she thought…

“Lass! Over here!”

Jaina stopped short and blinked, looking around at the crowds going by. She wasn’t sure if that voice was calling out to her or not, but why would it be for her?

“You—the purple-haired woman! Look behind you.”

Still a bit startled, she turned around, and soon enough she spotted a red-clad warrior standing by the fountain, motioning to her. Strange that he would be fully armored while doing business transactions—wouldn’t the exchange clerks and salesmen just find the whip he carried and the spiked armor-full helm look intimidating?

He must really like dragon platemail, she surmised, if he was walking around in it off the battlefield. She wondered how he could even stand it—couldn’t he take just the helm off? It had to be really, really stuffy in there.

As she approached him, the dragon-armored warrior bowed in greeting. “Afternoon, lass. Considering that staff you’ve got, I presume you’re a mage?”

She nodded slowly, wishing she could see his face. At least then she’d be able to better tell how friendly he might seem.

“Yes, I’m a mage—why?”

In response, the warrior knelt and opened the bag at his feet, and produced a folded white bundle. “You seem short on proper gear for a mage. Can I interest you in a little rare something that a fine young woman with magical talent such as yourself could make better use of than I could?”

Jaina eyed the bundle curiously. A closer look revealed that it wasn’t actually white, just a very, very light shade of blue.

“A rare something? It doesn’t look rare…”

“It may not seem special, but it’s a valuable relic of the Third Age, believe it or not.” The warrior carefully unfolded the bundle, revealing that it consisted of a mage’s dress, hat, and overcoat. “I found it quite by accident on a treasure hunt in the Wilderness—but I haven’t got much use for it, as you can probably tell. You, on the other hand… Here, have a look-see.”

He handed her the outfit, and she looked it over. Was it really from the Third Age? She did remember that shorter skirts for women had originated in the Third Age; the God Wars had meant a general lack of resources, including materials for clothing. Of course, that wasn’t true now, and shorter skirts and dresses were just more practical and comfortable… still, the origins of small things could be just as fascinating as major events of history sometimes.

It seemed like it would look decent on her, and it would be a lot easier to move around in than a floor-length robe. But would it fit her? There wasn’t anywhere she could change to try it on…

Tentatively she slipped the overcoat on. She was surprised at how perfectly it fit—it felt neither too tight nor too loose, and though she couldn’t tell quite how it felt against her skin thanks to wearing a long-sleeved dress, she liked the feel of the fabric in her hands. A glance at her reflection in the fountain showed that it looked pretty good on her, too.

She stood up straight and held the dress up in front of her, trying to picture herself in it. It was something she could reasonably wear… She held it up against her figure, wondering how well it would fit her. It seemed to be the right size, and the skirt was neither too long nor too short…

“I see you like it already,” the warrior said. “Well, it does suit you—so, you interested?”

Jaina didn’t need to be asked twice. “How much are we talking?”

“Well, according to the sales clerks, both parts are valued at 100 million apiece, plus another 80 million if you throw in the hat to match…”

She would’ve stared at him wide-eyed and spluttered incoherently just then, but he kept on talking. “But for you, I’ll sell it all for just 75 million.”

Jaina stared in disbelief for a very long moment. 75 million for a dress? That was nearly all the money she even had! And if she spent it all now in one go… well, she still hadn’t forgotten having to have cabbage soup for dinner in her youngest days. Mother had explained that money was tight because Father was working off a debt, but she hadn’t quite understood what that meant then.

On the other hand… she really didn’t want to give up that outfit. Where else would she find something that was both stylish and suitable for spellcasting? Opportunities like this didn’t strike every day. Besides, she did have staves and orbs on reserve, and she could make a lot of other things to sell quite easily; she would still be able to eat and live decently…

She thought it over for a little bit longer, and then made up her mind. Quickly excusing herself, she made her way to the nearest banker and returned to the warrior’s side with a chest full of coins.

“Here’s all my cash. Deal?”

The warrior examined the chest and silently counted on his fingers for a minute, then accepted it and handed her the bundle. “Deal. Thank you, lass. Wear it well, and may the gods smile on you.”

~***~

“All of it?” Ozan spluttered. “You really spent all of your hard-earned money?”

Xenia was shaking her head. "You do realize what consequences that had for your father?"

Jaina nodded slowly. “Indeed I did. I’m not sure if I should sell the hat, since I don’t really want to wear it but it might be useful if I need a hat… but I’ve been making staves again, and I’m getting back on my feet money-wise, but I’m not even close to recompensating for the cost of the outfit. That’s why I was late, by the way—I had to wash up after charging so many orbs. Believe me, I smelled terrible!”

She looked down at her hands. “My fingers are still killing me.”

“This could still make for an interesting tale, though,” said Ozan. “I know just how I’ll tell it in the bar—a fearsome warrior clad in dragon mail comes along and promises the fair Jaina a beautiful new dress if she can be the first to defeat him in battle! Over and into the Wilderness they go, and thus begins a great duel of spell and steel! And of course the dashing Ozan arrives in time to help just a teensy bit… and let’s just leave out the part about you spending all your money, of course…”

Ariane sighed. “Not everything needs to be so exaggerated, Ozan. Jaina, what are you going to do now?”

“Well, I definitely need a break from staves,” Jaina said. “I suppose I could go do tasks for the Slayer masters, or sell off some of the herbs I grow in planter boxes at home—but there’s something else I was thinking of, something more… interesting.”

Xenia arched an eyebrow. “Oh? Do tell.”

“This Asgarnia Smith guy found some kind of lead toward treasure in the desert, and asked me to look into it.” Jaina paused to gulp down a bit of her mint cake before she continued. “Something about four diamonds if I remember correctly—that might help pay off the cost of the dress. I might even go do that after this.”

“Do be careful!” Sir Owen frowned and eyed her nervously. “I understand you need to earn your keep, but no amount of treasure is worth throwing your life away. Selling the hat might be preferable!”

Jaina scowled at him indignantly. “I can handle myself just fine. I’ve been through the desert and lived before—I even rescued an unlucky traveler from slavery!”

“He means well, you know.” Ariane smiled and passed her the sugar. “Best of luck on your little excursion—who knows what you’re going to find?”

“And when you get back, tell me everything!” Ozan added. “Don’t be afraid to invent some juicy details either!”

~***~

Standing awkwardly in the center of the small desert camp, Jaina found herself remembering the first time she’d walked into Rellekka. The way the guards had coldly told her she’d better not cause any trouble, the disapproving stares of the Fremennik citizens, the catty remarks the people had made about her hair and about how a dirty outerlander mage had a lot of nerve coming there—and that she was either very brazen or very stupid—it had been confusing and frightening, and now things were like that all over again.

At least the Fremennik had been willing to let her prove herself. She doubted these bandits would be so merciful—several tough-looking men glared darkly at her, some even clutching their daggers. The women’s glares seemed somehow even more hostile, and a few of them were quickly ushering their gawking children away from her.

“Why does that weird lady over there look so funny?” a small boy asked loudly, pointing at her.

“She came from outside the desert,” his mother replied stiffly. “Doesn’t matter where. People like her get to live comfortably on the lands we lost in the days of old, while we suffer here in the harsh desert sun. We must hope that she does the sensible thing and leaves us be—she already has more than she deserves.”

Jaina shifted nervously, biting her lip. She hadn’t even done anything or said anything, and these people were already acting like she had killed their firstborn. Why did they want to bite her head off? Would any of them even let her ask about the four diamonds, or would they brush her off or worse before she could even open her mouth? Should she try to stay out of their way and sneak around for information instead?

“What are you standing there for?” demanded a particularly large, bearded man, striding towards her with a curved dagger in hand. “What do you think you’re going to find in this harsh, unforgiving desert? If you’re not gonna buy anything, get out!”

Jaina swallowed hard, backing away slightly. She still didn’t have that much in her purse, but if they wanted her to buy something, perhaps she could ask the merchants just the one question she needed to ask. “Um… what is there for sale here?”

“Bar’s that way. Shopkeeper’s tent is over there.” The man pointed in the direction of a large lodge and a small tent respectively as he spoke. “And don’t even try to haggle the prices! Just buy something—a meal, a drink, a waterskin or two, I don’t care—and be on your way!”

“Y-yes, sir, on my way, sir…” She quickly skirted around him and made a beeline for the bar. Buying food or drink might give her a better opening to ask about the four diamonds, as she would have to finish eating before she left—well, if she wasn’t thrown out immediately anyway.

As she walked in, the men in the bar turned to glare darkly at her, and the bartender straightened up. “You buying something? If you’re not, then scram!”

She was sweating profusely as she approached a vacant bar stool. “What’s on your menu?”

“House ale’s 650 coins a pop,” the bartender replied coldly. “Kebabs are 750.”

Jaina nodded, reaching for her coinpurse as she nervously sat down. “I-I’d like both a kebab and a drink, please!” She rooted around in her purse and put 1500 coins on the counter, hoping that showing a little generosity would lessen a bit of the hostility.

The bartender counted the coins, frowning as he noticed the extra hundred. “Trying to butter me up or something? Oh, well, nobody ever leaves tips anyway, so I guess I can’t complain about more cash.”

He pocketed the payment and slid a mug of odd orange ale down to her, and then ducked into a back room briefly before returning with a kebab. “Now listen here, lady, when you finish, you get out of here, got it?”

“Yes, sir… I-I didn’t plan to stay long anyway…” Shakily she took a sip of the ale. It was a bit watery, but clean and refreshing, a bit sweet even—and it tasted a lot better than disgusting beer.

“What’d you even expect to find here in this gods-forsaken desert?”

Jaina quickly swallowed the first bite of kebab, her stomach clenching. Daunting as it was, she might as well tell the truth, and if everyone did turn on her suddenly, she did have teleport runes and teletabs.

“I heard something about four diamonds…”

A collective gasp arose, and the bar fell silent. She could feel all eyes on her, and the bartender’s eyes were wide. “How did you hear about the four diamonds?” he demanded.

Jaina wrung her hands and blinked. “So you’ve heard of them?”

“Eh, it’s just a fairy tale for children.” The bartender sighed and shook his head. “Look, lady, if you really wanna know more about it, go talk to Eblis—he’s our village leader.”

She nodded. “Where can I find this Eblis?”

“His tent’s the big one on the south side, and he goes up to the dune just southeast of town sometimes. Longish hair, no beard—you can’t miss him.”

She hastily nodded again. “Thank you, sir. I-I’ll try to be quick, so I don’t annoy or bother anyone too much…”

“Just finish up and get lost, okay?” the bartender snapped. “Your sort isn’t welcome in my bar.”

She meekly nodded and went back to her kebab, though the stares of all the men in the bar made it hard to be quick. It took her several minutes to finish the meal and drink, but when she did, she anxiously slid off the bar stool and hurried on her way.

Glancing into the large tent the bartender had spoken of, she saw a man dressed in a white desert robe, rather than the trousers most of the other local men wore, sitting there. Long black bangs hung in his eyes, and his face was clean-shaven and neat.

“Pardon me,” she said, trying to not let her voice shake, “are you Eblis?”

The man stood up, his eyes narrowing as he emerged from the tent. “I am, but I have nothing to say to you. The only time people care about our existence is when they think they have something to gain from us, and I’ve no reason to believe you are any exception.”

“Actually, I-I only wished to ask a few questions… Please?”

Eblis sighed. “Very well, I suppose I can spare you that. Sit down.” He motioned for her to come into the tent, and she quietly obliged. He drew the tent flaps closed before he sat back down again, and she took her place across from him.

She anxiously brushed sand off her skirt and shoes. “Why is everyone here so hostile?”

“It is a long story, and I doubt you would care to hear it. None of your kind ever do…”

“I wouldn’t mind knowing, actually…” It was true, but she wasn’t sure he would be any friendlier to her even if she did listen. “But not right away—the more important question I wanted to ask is about four diamonds…”

Eblis straightened up suddenly. “You seek the four Diamonds of Azzanadra?”

Jaina blinked in confusion. “Erm, yes? You’ve heard of them?”

“Of course! They are the legacy of our greatest hero!” Eblis’ eyes were shining eagerly, and he lowered his head. “Please accept my apologies, noble madam; I believed you were some opportunistic thief, here to steal what little heritage we have left! Now I see that you seek to restore our glories to us!”

“Greatest hero?” Now she was even more confused. “Who is this hero exactly, and I’m guessing the diamonds belong to him?”

Eblis nodded. “You asked why everyone was so hostile to you—well, the long story behind that relates to our hero. You wished to hear the story, yes?”

She nodded, and he described how his ancestors had once lived in prosperity until their god was banished, how the forces of Saradomin and Zamorak had hunted them down and driven them from their homes and into the desert, how the great hero had been trapped in a pyramid near the camp. “For all we suffer here, we have always carried in our hearts the knowledge that he will one day return to us, and then we can reclaim what was stolen from us!”

Jaina sat up straighter. “A hero in need of rescuing? Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”

“Ah, my initial impression was very wrong indeed, it seems!” Eblis remarked, and straightened up slightly as well. “You see now the significance of the diamonds—if you return them, it will surely free him! They were stolen by four warriors of Zamorak generations ago, and these four have taken the diamonds’ power into themselves. Beware, for they are very powerful, and no bow or blade can harm them!”

That wasn’t too worrisome, so long as they weren’t impervious to spells either. “Does that mean that they’ll be vulnerable to magic?”

“Indeed; each diamond has an element—smoke, shadow, blood, and ice, respectively. Taking on the elemental quality of the diamonds may grant the warriors strength, but it will also grant them weakness—elemental weakness, most likely.”

“I can manage that—I do know two spellbooks now, though there are still some spells I’m working on perfecting…”She frowned, shifting her position slightly. “Where would these warriors be, though?”

“There is an ancient spell I know of that could track down the power of the diamonds,” Eblis said, “but it will require some ingredients that you will need to provide.”

Jaina listened carefully as he listed what he would need, pulling out a scrap of paper to write each of them down. When he finished, she stood up and reached into her bag for a teletab, promising to return with the supplies as soon as possible.

Earning money would have to wait; she could worry about that when the hero in need was free. If he needed her help, the only reasonable option was to give it—that ridiculous Asgarnia Smith guy could always get his own material treasure if he wanted.

~***~

As the wind blew through her hair, Jaina pulled her overcoat tighter around her and looked up at the pyramid before her. It towered imposingly, casting a large shadow behind it over the desert sands. Hard to believe there was some kind of distressed damsel in there—wait, what exactly did one call a damsel that was a man? Or was “damsel” the right word regardless?

Whose idea had it been to put whatever-his-name-was—Azzy-something, had Eblis said?—in there anyway? Couldn’t they have locked him in a tower, where there’d be a window and room to breathe? Or would that have been too predictable?

Jaina glanced down at the four diamonds in her hands, remembering why she’d looked into the matter in the first place. She still didn’t have that much, just enough to manage day-to-day life… Quickly she shook the thought out of her head, cursing herself for even having it. There was a word for people who would leave others to rot for money, and that was “heartless.” If she left now, she knew she was going to regret not saving the hero all her life; she’d come so far, and there was only one way to go—keep going.

Tentatively she approached the pyramid, each of the diamonds drawing her towards the four obelisks surrounding it so she could place them in. With the last one in place, she ventured to the door at the top, shielding her eyes from the blinding sunlight with one hand.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and slid down the ladder, glad to be out of the bright sunlight. She took a moment to brush the sand off her skirt before continuing on.

She didn’t have long to be glad, though—hardly had she taken a few steps when a mummy appeared from a sarcophagus on the wall, not looking too pleased to see her. Quickly she bolted, managing to outrun it after a short time, and paused in a corner to catch her breath—but then the first scarab swarm boiled up.

She ran.

~***~

The last thing Azzanadra remembered was the world going black around him as he had felt a strange force dragging him towards the pyramid. His head was still spinning as everything gradually came back into view, but at least he knew he was free—they were fools to think they could trap him here for long.

He took a moment to glance at his surroundings. There wasn’t much of note in the small chamber, other than the altar behind him—though the young human female passed out cold on the floor was a rather… surprising sight to say the least. Azzanadra couldn’t help but notice that the girl’s hair was a striking color, a bright and lively shade of purple, as if Zaros himself had laid hands upon her head. Odd as it was to see a human with that color hair, it was nonetheless an intriguing sight as well.

A closer look at her indicated that she was mostly unharmed; she seemed merely to have fainted. She did have a particularly nasty bleeding gash on one leg, though—something had to be done about that. Drifting around to her side, he concentrated on the wound and quietly muttered a chant, mending the flesh in a pale green healing light.

Why was she here? That staff she was carrying—she must be a mage. Most likely, she’d come from Senntisten, and had been sent to free him… but she certainly wouldn’t have been sent off on such a mission alone; she was probably the sole survivor of her squad. The situation must be truly dire out there without him to help. Who knew what perils she must have faced on her way, and what terrible fates had befallen her squad?

Well, she could bring him up to speed on how dire it was. Once the battle was taken care of, he would make sure that her courage and effort did not go unrewarded.

If he could have, he would have tapped her on the shoulder to try and awaken her, but as it was he had to telekinetically give her hair a light pull. She twitched and slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes, after the second time.

“Ow… oh, my head…” She took a moment to look herself over, her eyes growing wide when she glanced over at her not-so-injured leg. “My… my leg, I—but…” Slowly and shakily she stood up, staring at him curiously. “Did you…?”

“Yes.” Azzanadra made his way around to face her. “Well done, soldier, how goes the battle?”

The girl gave him a blank stare. “What?”

He presumed—and hoped—that she was merely just a little out of it and it would all come rushing back to her soon, but the confused look on her face didn’t fade.

“You… you do not know of the battle? More time must have passed than I had thought…” Whatever had happened, and even if Senntisten had somehow fallen, he had to know what had happened to the rest of the empire. Surely he hadn’t been in here that long, right? “Tell me, what news of great Paddewwa? Do the shining spires of Lassar still stand? And what of glorious Annakarl? The fortress is still intact?”

The purple-haired girl continued to stare, looking even more confused. “Um… it’s 169 of the Fifth Age, and I’ve never heard of any of those?”

“W-what? No… My lord… What happened?”

They had failed… he had failed his Lord. Not only were the great cities gone, she’d said Fifth Age—if enough time had passed that he had missed an entire age, he must have been here a very long time indeed! He couldn’t even hope she might be wrong; she would have no reason to lie about such things. Worse yet, he couldn’t seem to hear Zaros’ voice in his mind anymore. The Great Lord’s guidance would have been of so much use now, yet there was nothing there…

Well, he wasn’t going to get anywhere by staying here for two more ages—he would be glad to leave this blasted place, and soon! He must find his brothers and whatever remained of the faithful at once! Of course, the girl still deserved something for her efforts; whatever the circumstances, it seemed he owed his freedom to her.

“My thanks to you, young adventurer, for freeing me from this accursed tomb,” he said, “but it seems I have much to do to make amends.”

Her eyes widened a little, and she looked slightly less confused now. “Oh, you’re Azza-whatsit aren’t you? The brave and mighty hero? I—I came in here to free you in the first place. Are you alright?”

A small flame of hope flickered in his mind. If she had come for that express purpose, she must have been sent after all! Perhaps Zaros could still watch over his followers to a degree. This was certainly not going to be the last he’d be seeing of her—and thankfully she would be easy to find whenever he needed her. Even if he had to search the entirety of Gielinor; her hair would give her away.

“Azzanadra. Remember it well, for this shall not be the last time our paths cross… ah, might I ask your name?”

“Jaina,” she answered politely. “Jaina Katarn.”

“Well, Jaina, you seem to be a magic-wielder…” When she nodded, he continued. “In exchange for your help, I offer you the gift of knowledge. Go and touch the altar over there and I shall bestow upon you the ancient magicks, taught to me by my lord before his disappearance.”

Curiously she made her way over to the altar and tentatively stretched out her hand to touch it. Her smoky gray eyes grew wide and she noticeably shuddered, her whole form glowing with an aura of golden light as the knowledge filled her mind.

“Wow…” she breathed, blinking rapidly as she turned to him again. “Um… thank you so much… I… this is…”

“No, thank you, once again.” Azzanadra paused briefly to form a portal, so she could come and go as she wished easily. “Now I must leave you, but I offer you the blessings of myself and my master in all your endeavors. I look forward to our next meeting.”

With that he teleported away, wondering just what role Zaros meant for her to play in the grand scheme of things. Whatever it was she might do, he was certainly not going to forget her anytime soon.

~***~

“Finally, you return!” Eblis straightened up and motioned over to Jaina as she came into view. “So have you spoken to my lord Azzanadra yet?”

She nodded. “Yes—sorry I took so long getting back…”

“Did he have much to say? He must have been so worried about us…”

She shook her head. “He didn’t say that much. I think it was because he was shocked to hear that it’s 169 of the Fifth Age… but he did thank me before he left, and granted me magical knowledge in return for my help. That’s… actually what kept me by the way; I was practicing some of them. They take so many runes, though! That's going to make getting better with them a pain...”

Eblis nodded in understanding. “There must’ve been something important to be done… He wouldn’t neglect his fellow faithful.”

Jaina blinked and glanced down at her leg for a moment. “Well, he was kind enough to heal an injury I got on the way… and he did say that we’re going to meet again at some point. I don’t really know what to make of that.”

“Well, your kindness and bravery certainly aren’t things to be forgotten easily,” Eblis said. “I do suspect he saw some greater potential in you… who knows, you might very well be a part of Zaros’ great plan…”

There it was again—that mysterious name that hadn’t left her mind since she’d started looking for the diamonds. With that business taken care of, she could finally inquire further…

“So… this Zaros I’ve been hearing a lot about,” she said. “I—I want to know more.”

Eblis looked thoughtful. “Hmmm. I do suppose you can be trusted—I assume you do not follow Saradomin or Zamorak?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I was raised Guthixian… but it didn’t really... stick, you know?”

“Well, someone joining the ranks of the faithful is hardly a bad thing.” Eblis sat down in the middle of the circle of mirrors and motioned for Jaina to sit next to him. “Should you embrace the ways of Zaros, you cannot do so openly, lest you draw the ire of the Saradominist and Zamorakian filth.”

“So if I do convert, I have to keep quiet?” Jaina blinked and wrung her hands as she sat. “I—I think I could do that…”

“Only until he returns,” Eblis said. “As for what following him entails… well, Zaros is patron of fate, and will always watch over his faithful. I’m sure you’re familiar with close calls, yes? Well, a lucky coincidence, a narrow escape, a chance discovery—that’s the work of the Empty Lord. Self-control is also important—you must not give into selfishness or emotions, and learn to recognize your flaws and better yourself.”

Jaina listened intently, her curiosity growing even more. That did seem like it was more sensible than just striving for order, chaos, or balance…

Would she even be here now, she wondered, had she not spent all her money on the dress? Might this mysterious god be guiding her path or something like that? She’d never felt like Guthix was guiding or watching over her, as much as her parents had assured her of his “big plans” for her…

Well, lost knowledge was made to be rediscovered, and it seemed that task was up to her. The new magical knowledge she had was better than she could’ve dreamed, and she was definitely going to share her findings--but could that be only the beginning?

She was still nervous about spending time with the bandits, but she had to know more about this long-forgotten god. If they were willing to teach her for aiding their hero, she would take every opportunity she could to learn from them.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this fic awhile back; sorry if it's a bit on the short side! I would have included the fights with the diamond guardians, but I feared that might have padded things out too much.
> 
> Jaina's comments about needing so many runes for the Ancient Magicks do indeed refer to the fact that touching the altar only granted her the knowledge of the old, pre EoC rune requirements. The newer requirements for the standard spells were developed in-universe by the wizards of the Misthalin Tower in the Fifth Age, and it's unlikely that the newer ones for Ancients would have been developed in the Second Age.
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated, and I hope you enjoy!
> 
> ~Ace Trainer Alicia~


End file.
